Maybe I'm retired!!!

[Brian Rupnow]

Strange topic heading, isn't it. I have worked since 1965 designing prototype machinery and automation for industry. I have seen good years, poor years, even absolutely terrible years---but I've never seen anything quite like this year. When I was younger, and all the engineering work migrated to some other part of the country, I pulled up stakes and followed it. In my mind, I had no other really viable option. I had mortgages to pay, kids to feed, and if I wanted to stay in engineering, (which has always been my favourite way to make a living), I had no other choice.
Oh sure, I'm one of those fortunate people who has always been able to do well at just about anything I turned my hand to, but engineering and design has always been my first love. Now, at 63 years old, I've become a "One trick pony."---I don't want to do anything except engineering, and old age and arthritis has kinda precluded all the other things that I might have done at 40.
My house is paid for, my wife has a secure job and will retire in 2 years, and all our kids and grandkids live in this area.---So, I am not going to pull up stakes and move (although the way things currently are in Canada, I'm not sure that there is the type of work I do anywhere else in the country right now anyways).
Many of the other, younger machine designers who still have 10 or 15 or even twenty years to work are going back to school retraining to become massage therapists, hotel managers, even ski instructors, because they don't see any end to the current dearth of engineering work.
I believe we will come out of this depression, recession, whatever you want to call it, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Probably in about 2 years when I really had intended to pull the plug, there will be all kinds of work available.------But for now----well---Maybe I'm retired.-----And I don't like it very damn much!!!---Brian

 

[bearcar1]

I have to agree with you 100% Brian. I too, at the young age of 54 am seeing the ravages of the telecommunications industry on the installation and construction side, as being a lame duck in the pond. It seems ironic on so many levels too. The businesses and industries obviously want to save money and pare down their incurred costs in these chaotic times, that is understandable. However, by eliminating the contracts for their phone and data maintenance, they have opened themselves up to higher risks/costs by allowing the very heart of their operations (their phone and data networks) to deteriorate, thus placing themselves in a 'all hands on deck' panic mode when something goes wrong and their network or phone switch decides to take an extended vacation. On the other side of that coin are the contractors that we work for. They claim to no longer be able to sustain the number of workers on their payroll (greed and avarice once again abound) and we are laid off. They then require any new bodies that they look at for potential hiring, to be fully trained on all aspects of the job, leaving us well seasoned veterans to rot in the aftermath. So between the businesses that require our services greed and the employing companies greed, yes we are left out in the cold and as you say "retired".

BC1
Jim

 

[cfellows]

I know what you mean, Brian. I retired at the end of May, partly through choice, but also with company incentive in the form of a layoff. I'm 65 and thought I was ready for retirement, but have been experiencing some interesting emotions in the past two months. Part of my issue is that I just moved to a new city, don't know anyone, and don't know my way around very well. And, for my entire adult life, most of my social interaction has been through work.

So, while I have no intention of trying to find another job, I'm not yet adjusted to this retirement way of life. Gonna be interesting...

Chuck

 

[Brian Rupnow]

And, for my entire adult life, most of my social interaction has been through work.

Chuck---That was one of the most difficult transitions I faced when I left the corporate world 10 years ago to be self employed and work from home. Suddenly, I no longer had other men in my life. It seemed like I was living in a vacuum. Yes, wife and kids, and grandchildren are great, but they don't fill up that space inside you that was always filled by the other guys you worked with. And like you, most of our social interactions were drawn from my workplace, and slowly those social interactions fade away. The older I get, the more difficult it becomes to make new friends, and suddenly you realize that its been 6 months since you and your wife have had anybody over for a drink or dinner, and since you have been invited anywhere. Its not easy.

 

[Shopguy]

Brian
Agreed retirement is one of the biggest adjustments a working stiff is likely to make in their life. I retired at 60 after thirty plus years as a college instructor and even three years later it still seems a bit strange to not be going off to class or prepping for class. Sure I miss the students but not all the other junk that goes along with working in a institution of higher learning. And yes social contacts have faded , we don't have as many common interests anymore. Certainly a person needs social contact and things to do, but now we have the time to do these things and find new social contacts. Since retirement I have had time to really indulge my interests, and once I have the shop up and running again will be back to making little engines etc. My wife and I recently moved from our big house, the kids are grown and moved away, to a much smaller place in a condominium community that has a large percentage of retired folks. While we are a couple of the younger ones in the community. we however, serendipitously, found it to have a great social network and we are becoming one of the group. I'm not necessarily advocating moving to a retirement community but it seems to be working for us.
Interestingly enough this forum provides one type of social network, common interests if you like. Welcome to the world of the retiree. We only go around once so just enjoy it.

Ernie J (Retired and loving it.)

 

[Foozer]

Metamorphosis by Kafka

Short read, good story

You hold that door open for the little old lady, she smiles and thanks you.

Old, Young matters not, its what, during the times of social interaction, that determine how the "6" will carry you.

I'm retired, also a hermit by nature. Enjoy people on the one-to-one. When in a group, they can all go jump off the bridge. My car is bigger, my house is bigger, mt bank account is bigger and not one of the group will hold open the door for the little old lady.

Retirement is the time to which the only one to give approval comes from the person in the mirror. Makes life easier if that person likes you.

Robert

 

[putputman]

Retirement is the time to which the only one to give approval comes from the person in the mirror. Makes life easier if that person likes you.

Robert, there is a lot of wisdom in that statement.

It takes some time to get used of retirement, but once you do, it is great. My wife has her part time antique business and I have my hobby shop for building engines. We both keep very busy.

One thing that has helped me is doing some volunteer work. When your growing up and raising a family you have little or no time for extra work. Once you retire you really don't have that excuse anymore. I have set one day a week to deliver "meals on wheels" and to take an older gentleman shopping. This gives me a chance to be with others on a one to one basis. I really look forward to that day.

I have taken my lap top to show videos of my engines to some seniors. They really enjoyed it and it made me feel good.

I think every city has a need for volunteers and retirees are a big part of their needs.

Give it a try.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Don't get me wrong guys. When I say age and arthritis preclude some of the other things I could have worked at, I'm talking about the physical side of things---i.e. construction carpenter, mechanic, machine builder, or pipeline welder. As far as the job that I do for my bread and butter--Hell, truth is my job is a brain trust. I work all day and all that really gets a workout is my eyeballs and my mouse finger!!!---and there isn't a damn thing wrong with them!!
I know more about my profession now than I ever did. I have kept up with the ever increasing complexity of 3D software---in fact I teach it part time.
What I'm complaining about is the lack of work, plain and simple.
I want this damn economic slump, (whatever the causes) to end.
I'm to old to learn Cantonese!!!

 

[bearcar1]

Me suspects that you had best reserve your copy of "How to speak Chinese in three easy steps" early at the library, Brian. It isn't going to get any better soon so we all best get used to it. I do not wish to be a "Doubting Thomas" but until the so called leaders of big business and the wall street pukes can be happy with merely making $1 a day as opposed to $1m a day, those of us that are unemployed or have less work to keep busy, are just going to have to begin to selling pencils for some extra spending money.


BC1
Jim

 

[Cliff]

I know what you guys are talking about I worked all my life as a machinist/maintenance mechanic until a few years a go and I started my own business with my wife which was fine except I missed the other men I worked with and due to health issues I had to retire which was taking some getting use to then a little over a year a go I lost my wife to a heart attack which was very hard and I was left alone but I been trying to get more involved in church work that my handycap lets me do but the big thing that has helped me is this form I look forward to reading up on projects I feel that I know each and everyone of you but I have only met one of you it feels like a bunch of guys in a shop somewhere setting around talking shop so I say thank you for being there. Cliff. PS: Brian just hang in there things will get better this day and age you have a advantage over years past and that is your web site and the internet.

 

[gbritnell]

Hi Brian,
Here's my twist on your thread. It's 2 parts actually, the first being the state of affairs of the economy. It's very political so I won't go there except to say, WE, are all at fault. When they offered Chinese or Domestic we took the cheap way out and are paying for it. Nuff said!!! As far as retirement, I was a computer modeler\metal patternmaker for the Ford Motor Company. We made iron castings where I worked. My job started getting tenuous years ago when aluminum became the engine making material of choice. We all knew it was coming and a couple of years ago they made the announcement "the foundry will be closing". I hated to lose my job but things change. I'm lucky I have a decent retirement and I started drawing my Social Security as soon as I was able. Between my wife and I we have only had to cut back modestly. The retirement part is great. No getting up when it's dark and snowy. No driving white knuckled through a blizzard. Getting things done on 'my' schedule and most enjoyable of all, being able to work in my shop whenever I choose. I do have to agree with some of the comments about interaction with fellow workers although the attrition where I worked was so drawn out that when I left most all of my best co-workers had already gone. When my wife and I drive past the plant today she asks me if I miss it. I tell her I miss what used to be but not what is now. Things change! I'm into this final aspect of my life and I intend to make the best of it.
gbritnell

 

[zeeprogrammer]

I'm still a few years off from retirement (even more than I'd thought now that the cuckoo bird got in my nest and dumped my eggs)...but it's a popular topic at home.

I had a retired uncle that simply sat on the porch watching the world go by. Scared me. Plus, I knew that, despite diet and exercise, if I didn't find something to exercise the old wet-ware...it would be a short retirement for me.

Needed a hobby. This one fit the bill. All of you have a hand in saving someone's life (literally).

Both my wife and I are effectively loners. We don't entertain. We don't go out. We typically spend 2 hours or more every evening talking to each other. (Now that I have this hobby, that's going to be a problem when wife returns.) I've seen my parents lose all their friends and struggling to have a social life. So that's my other fear. Not so much for me...but for wife (I'll be gone before her). The fear being 'sitting around with nothing to'. Anyway...our conversations are about preparing for it. Not just about getting the money to retire...but what we'll do. I've already spent a few years sitting on the couch watching TV and wondering what I should do. That was no fun.

Ah well...starting to ramble about me...

 

[Tin Falcon]

Brian:
IMHO the magazines such as Home Shop Machinist, Projects in Metal and live steam are all in need of good articles.These are all Vlliage Press. Then there is model engine builder magazine another good publication.
Your have the experience as a Machine designer. You have successfully designed and built several engines. Your witting skills and photography skills are good.You have the ability to draw up excellent prints. In your shoes it may be wise to look into getting published. It may not be regular work but then it could be. Yah never know.
Tin

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Well actually, Tin---I am being published in "Home Shop Machinist" magazine beginning in October. There will be a 2 or 3 part article and plans for the beam engine I built last year. However, although its somewhat of a thrill to be published, I don't see it as becoming a career.